Tosh Show – "My Favorite Beach Volleyball Olympian – Phil Dalhausser"

Date: November 11, 2025
Host: Daniel Tosh
Guest: Phil Dalhausser (Beach Volleyball Olympic Gold Medalist)

Episode Overview

In this lively episode, comedian Daniel Tosh welcomes Phil Dalhausser, proclaimed as his favorite beach volleyball Olympian, for an insightful and comedic conversation. Tosh explores Phil’s journey from a late start in volleyball to Olympic glory, his experience on the pro tour, and the quirks of being a world-class athlete. True to Tosh’s style, the chat weaves between sharp banter, sincere admiration, and playful digs as they discuss sports, fame, ghost encounters, and the nuances of beach volleyball.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Volleyball Stardom & Olympic Glory

• Late Start but Rapid Rise
  • Phil began playing volleyball at 17, which is late for a pro athlete, but "just kind of a natural" and became obsessed:
    • “Man, I was just kind of a natural. I know that's kind of like a douchey thing to say, but, like, everything just came naturally to me. I became obsessed, and that's all I did.” (21:20, Phil)
• Olympic Highlights
  • Phil's crowning achievement is a gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He describes the satisfaction, especially beating a Brazilian rival:
    • “We beat this Brazilian team in the finals and I was not a big fan of one of the players because he's kind of a douche. And we won 15 to 4 in the third set, so we kind of gave him a smashing. And when we were on the podium…he was weeping, which made the moment even more special.” (18:34, Phil)
  • Tosh asks if Phil cried at the anthem. Phil didn’t, but relishes the memory.
• Legacy and Awards
  • Winner of the Michelle Akers Award at UCF; still cherishes the gold medal more, though Dalhausser pokes fun at award hierarchies (24:04).

2. Life & Culture of Pro Beach Volleyball

• The South Bay Volleyball Scene
  • Discussion on Manhattan Beach versus Hermosa Beach as volleyball capitals and regional rivalries:
    • “That's a six minute walk from one court to the other court. The peer to peer is only a mile. Hermosa capital, Manhattan Beach. Not the capital.” (17:51, Tosh)
• Breaking Up with Volleyball Partners
  • Comparisons to dating:
    • “It's like dating…You spent so much time with this person, you become friends with them, and you're like, hey, I'm gonna move on here.” (25:08, Phil)
  • Never been dumped as a partner: “I have not. No.” (25:26, Phil)

3. Athleticism, Conditioning & Tall-Guy Problems

• Physical Demands of the Sport
  • Volleyball’s athletic requirements, playing on an unstable sand surface:
    • “It does take every athletic ability and you're on an unstable surface with wind and sun in your eyes. Whatever. Something rain. So I think you may have a point.” (28:04, Phil)
• Height and Body Talk
  • Phil is 6’9”; Tosh, also tall, jokes about tall people posture and struggles with planes, clothes, and beds.
    • “What's the worst part about being 6'9"? Probably planes or finding pants. Those are the two, yeah.” (26:36, Phil)
• Weight, Diet, & Guilt
  • Phil admits to a sweet tooth and the guilt of eating junk as an athlete, but not hyper-obsessed with weight (27:30).

4. Rule Changes, Tactics & The State of the Sport

• Evolution of the Game
  • Point system, court sizes, serve targeting, and "sand volleyball" as a new discipline.
    • Tosh: “Isn't it weird that you mastered a sport that was a sport, but they just changed the surface that it's played on?”
    • Phil: “It's definite different discipline, for sure.” (32:48)
• Strategy & Fan Interference
  • Play-calling and fans potentially influencing games:
    • “Is there anything from stopping me from yelling out what the person in front is calling behind their back every time?” (31:17, Tosh)
    • “I mean, eventually someone will say something to you.” (31:22, Phil)

5. Financial Realities & Fame

• Prize Money and Making a Living
  • Earnings have declined since the 2000s:
    • “So, like, all right, say you win the two tournaments, you don't make it past the first round in the league, in playoffs, then you probably are making $40,000 in prize money…for the whole summer.” (39:24, Phil)
  • International play and sponsorship adds a bit but is still limited.
• Patriotism, Olympics, and Media Coverage
  • Tosh laments the sport’s visibility outside the Olympics and the challenges of "must-see TV" beach volleyball (38:14).

6. Personal Backstory & Family

• Phil’s Multinational Upbringing
  • Born in Switzerland, Florida-raised, chef parents, and a hypothetical alternate life in Alaska (19:00).
• Parenting and Pride
  • On his parents' skepticism and eventual pride:
    • “No, they told me to get a job.” (52:31, Phil)
    • “My third year on tour, I won my first proven.” (52:51, Phil)
  • On his children:
    • “Do your kids know that you were…the best?” — “They know now…” (53:11)
• Retirement and Giving Back
  • On coaching juniors, lack of professional coaching pay, and potentially moving on from travel (54:10 - 54:43).

7. Odds & Ends — Culture, Movies, and Miscellaneous

• Pop Culture (Top Gun, Castaway, Movies)
  • Dismisses the accuracy of volleyball in films; recounts a bounced check for appearing in "Beach Kings" (46:54, Phil).
• Hobbies and Other Sports
  • Phil enjoys disc golf, tennis, but hasn’t yet tried pickleball (50:17 - 51:28).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Beating Rivals at the Olympics:
  “We beat this Brazilian team in the finals and I was not a big fan of one of the players because he's kind of a douche. And we won 15 to 4 in the third set, so we kind of gave him a smashing. And when we were on the podium…he was weeping, which made the moment even more special.” (18:34, Phil)

• On Breaking Up with Volleyball Partners:
  “It's like dating.” (25:08, Phil)

• On Late Start in Sport:
  “Man, I was just kind of a natural…everything just came naturally to me. I became obsessed.” (21:20, Phil)

• On Professional Struggles:
  “So, like, all right, say you win the two tournaments, you don't make it past the first round in the league, in playoffs, then you probably are making $40,000 in prize money…for the whole summer.” (39:24, Phil)

• On Family’s Early Attitude:
  “They told me to get a job.” (52:31, Phil)

• On Volleyball in Movies:
  “This is the worst movie... Actually…I was living in Santa Barbara at the time, so I had to get up early, drive all the way down to Hermosa, and we shoot this couple scenes or whatever. I'm like, this is the dumbest thing ever. And I was like, all right. At least I'm going to get paid a couple bucks. So I get paid, like, I think, like 500 bucks. And the check bounced.” (46:18, Phil)

Timestamps of Important Segments

• 1:20 – Daniel Tosh asks Phil: “How does it feel to be the best in the world at something?”
• 18:34 – Olympic gold medal victory and rivalry with Brazilian team
• 21:20 – Phil describes starting volleyball at 17 and becoming obsessed
• 25:08 – Comparing ending a volleyball partnership to breaking up
• 28:04 – Discussing athleticism required for beach volleyball
• 39:24 – How much pro beach volleyball players currently earn
• 46:18 – Phil’s “Beach Kings” movie check bounced story
• 52:31 – 53:07 – Parental pride, validation, and kids’ knowledge of his success

Tone & Language

• Candid and irreverent, heavily laced with Daniel Tosh’s signature sarcasm and quick witted banter
• Phil is relaxed, matter-of-fact, and genuine, often indulging Tosh’s humor with dry admissions
• The episode is filled with playful jabs, athlete myth-busting, and affectionate commentary on both sport and life

For Listeners: Why Hear This Episode?

Even if you’ve never watched a beach volleyball match, this episode’s blend of laugh-out-loud moments, sports insight, and real talk about the ups and downs of an athletic career is engaging and revealing. From locker room confessions and behind-the-scenes tour tales to the everyday struggles of tall life, Tosh and Dalhausser make the world of beach volleyball relatable, funny, and fascinating.

End of Summary